WO2005044675A1

WO2005044675A1 - Case comprising a rigid face and a flexible face, which can be closed and kept closed

Info

Publication number: WO2005044675A1
Application number: PCT/FR2004/002815
Authority: WO
Inventors: Laurence Madec
Original assignee: Alliora Shf
Priority date: 2003-11-03
Filing date: 2004-11-02
Publication date: 2005-05-19
Also published as: FR2861697A1; FR2861697B1; EP1528002A1; CN1616308A; US20060000879A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a case comprising a thin sheet of flexible material and a thick sheet of rigid material. The inventive case consists of: a body (36) comprising side panels (5, 6, 7, 9), including front (5) and rear (6) panels; an opening (34), some of the edges surrounding said opening being equipped with a lateral flap (24, 25) comprising a rigid projection (28, 29); and a closure flap comprising an opening/closing panel (14) and a tuck-in flap (16) which can be folded along a fold line (17) at a right angle to the aforementioned panel (14), said fold line comprising recesses (18) in which the rigid projections (28, 29) are inserted when the closure flap is folded over the opening (34), such that the rigid projections (28, 29) are click-locked in the recesses (18) owing to the stiffness and thickness of the thick, rigid sheet. The invention also relates to a blank which can be used to produce one such case and to a method of producing one such blank.

Description

CASE COMPRISING A RIGID FACE AND A FLEXIBLE FACE THAT CAN BE CLOSED AND MAINTAINED IN THE CLOSED CONDITION

The invention relates to a case produced by folding a complex comprising a sheet of flexible and thin material and a sheet of rigid and thick material, a blank intended for the production of such a case, as well as a method for producing 'such a blank.

Document WO 02/00424 discloses packages obtained after folding a plate formed by stacking a layer of flexible material and a rigid layer. To allow its folding, the plate has a groove made in the rigid layer and whose height is equal to the thickness of the rigid layer.

However, the manufacturers have not considered making packaging comprising closing tabs in order to obtain closed volumes. We have envisaged embodiments of the “matchbox” type, that is to say with a container inserted in a package of the type described above. But such achievements in several parts are not practical, especially in case of loss of one of the parts which makes the packaging unusable.

Document US-A-5,065,935 describes a box covered with wrapping paper comprising side panels folded over an opening in the box and held by slots which fit into each other.

This type of closure is complex to produce for a package comprising a rigid layer and does not allow it to be kept firmly closed.

Document EP-A-0 709 293 also discloses a box comprising a closure panel. A tongue separated from the panel by a fold line comprises openings which hooks provided on foldable legs pass through when the box is closed. However, this type of closure, requiring the deformation of the hooks to open the box, is not suitable for packaging comprising a rigid layer unless the packaging is damaged.

The invention aims to allow the production of a package comprising a layer of flexible material and a rigid layer which can be closed and held firmly in the closed state using the rigidity of the rigid layer.

To this end, and according to a first aspect, the invention relates to a case produced by folding a complex, said complex comprising a sheet of flexible and thin material such as cardboard or plastic material on which is associated a sheet of rigid material. and thick such as wood or metal, said case comprising: - a body comprising side panels including at least one front panel and one rear panel, - at least one first opening defined by said side panels, some of the edges of said opening bearing each a side tab folded at right angles to a side panel of the case along a fold line, said side tabs having a rigid recess near said fold line and projecting towards the front panel of the case, said case further comprising at least one tab for closing the opening at one of the ends of the body, said tab for closing comprising a purlin at the opening / closing hinged to the rear panel along a fold line, said opening / closing panel comprising, at its end opposite the fold line, a foldable re-entrant tab at right angles to said opening panel / closure along a fold line substantially parallel to the fold line, the fold line comprising in its end portions a removal of material through each of the sheets of the complex, the rigid recesses of the side panels being inserted in the removal of material when the closing tab is folded over the opening so, due to the rigidity and the thickness of the sheet of rigid and thick material, to obtain a snap-fastening of the rigid recesses in the removal of material to block said closing tab in the closed position of the case.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a blank, intended for the production of a case as described above, this blank being produced in a complex comprising a sheet of flexible and thin material such as cardboard or plastic material on which is associated with a sheet of rigid and thick material such as wood or metal, said blank comprising: - side panels, including at least one front panel and one rear panel, separated by fold lines and defining by folding the body of the case, - side tabs adjacent to and articulated to some of the side panels by fold lines, - a bonding tab adjacent to the front panel and hinged thereto by a fold line substantially parallel to the lines folds separating the side panels, said blank further comprising an open / close panel adjacent to the rear panel and articulated to said rear panel by a fold line, ledi t opening / closing panel comprising at its end opposite the fold line a re-entrant tab, said tab being articulated to the opening / closing panel by a fold line substantially parallel to the fold line, the fold line comprising in its extreme parts a removal of material, the folding lines being produced by cutting the sheet of rigid material from the complex.

According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a process for producing a blank as described above, said process comprising the following steps: - production of a complex by association of a sheet of flexible and thin material such as cardboard or plastic material and a sheet of rigid and thick material such as wood or metal; - cutting the complex so as to form the side panels, the closing tab, the bonding tab and the side tabs; - production of fold lines by cutting the sheet of rigid material only; - Cutting the sheet of rigid material near the material removed, said cut extending partially on the opening / closing panel and on the re-entrant tab; - removal of material by complete cutting of the complex.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear during the description which follows, given with reference to the appended drawings in which:

- Figure 1 is a plan view of the internal face of a blank according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a case with its closing tab open, resulting from the setting up of the blank according to FIG. 1.

In connection with FIG. 1, a blank 1 is produced made from a complex comprising a sheet of flexible and thin material, such as cardboard or plastic material and a sheet of rigid and thick material, such as wood or metal. . By sheet of flexible and thin material means a sheet made of a material whose nature and thickness allow the deformation of the sheet. By sheet of rigid and thick material is meant a sheet made of a material whose nature and thickness limit the deformation of the sheet. In particular examples, the thickness of the sheet of flexible material is of the order of a few tenths of a millimeter and that of the sheet of rigid material is of the order of twice that of the sheet of flexible material.

The internal face 3 of the blank 1 is defined as being the face of the blank which will be inside the case 2 when the blank is set in volume, the external face 4 forming the visible face of the case 2 when this one is formed. According to the invention, the sheet of flexible and thin material forms the internal face 3 of the blank 1 and the sheet of rigid material forms the external face 4. This thus gives the case 2 an external appearance of a particular aesthetic according to the material chosen for the rigid material sheet. It is also possible to print various information on the external face 4, for example a logo or the like.

The blank 1 comprises side panels, at least one of which is a front panel 5 and a rear panel 6.

According to the embodiment shown, a first side panel 7 is articulated to the rear panel 6 by a fold line 8. On the side opposite this fold line 8, a second side panel 9 is articulated to the rear panel 6 by a fold line 10 On the side opposite this fold line 10, the second side panel 9 is articulated to the front panel 5 by a fold line 11.

All of the side panels 5, 6, 7 and 9 define the body 36 of the case of generally cylindrical shape, for example substantially parallelepiped, when the blank 1 is set in volume. According to other embodiments not shown, it is possible to envisage interposing additional side panels between the front panels 5 rear 6, in order to produce cases of different shapes. Furthermore, provision may be made for at least one side panel 5, 6, 7 and / or 9 to include an opening produced by cutting the complex.

The side panels are substantially polygonal, for example rectangular, and the fold lines separating the side panels are substantially parallel to each other. However, it is possible to provide the panels with a trapezoidal shape so as to form a case having an inclined opening.

On the side opposite to the fold line 11, a bonding tab 12 is articulated to the front panel 5 along a fold line 13 substantially parallel to the fold lines 8, 10 and 11. An opening / closing panel 14 is adjacent to the rear panel 6 and hinged thereto along a fold line 15 substantially perpendicular to the fold lines separating the side panels. The opening / closing panel 14 has a substantially rectangular shape, the length of the long side of which corresponds substantially to the length of the short sides of the side panels 7 and 9.

A re-entrant tab 16 is articulated to the opening / closing panel 14 at its end opposite the fold line 15. The re-entering tab 16 is foldable at right angles to the opening / closing panel 14 along a fold line 17 substantially parallel to the fold line 15. The opening / closing panel 14 and re-entering tab 16 assembly forms a closing tab intended to close the case 2 when the blank 1 is set in volume.

To allow the closure tab to be blocked without damaging the case, the fold line 17 comprises at each of its end portions a removal of material 18. These removals of material 18 consist of complete cuts of the complex comprising the sheet of flexible material and the sheet of rigid material. The cuts being made through each of the sheets of the complex, the edges of the material removals 18 have a certain rigidity and a certain thickness. They extend along the fold line 17 towards the center of the closure tab, and have small dimensions relative to the length of the fold line 17.

Near the material removals 18, the fold line 17 includes a cutout 19 made in the sheet of rigid material only. The cutout 19 is substantially perpendicular to the fold line 17 and extends partially on the opening / closing panel 14 on the one hand and on the re-entrant tab 16 on the other hand. The cutout 19 marks the end of the material removal 18. The cutout 19 further comprises, on the side of the opening / closing panel, a wing 20. This wing 20, produced in the sheet of rigid material, is intended to form a substantially perpendicular projection to the opening / closing panel 14 when the re-entrant tab 16 is folded at a right angle to this panel 14, as shown in FIG. 2. Thus the cutout 19 makes it possible to stiffen the fold line 17 near the material removals 18. It makes it possible to prevent the removal of material 18 from tearing and "spreading" along the fold line during the handling of the case 2.

The re-entrant tab 16 may have rounded edges 21 in order to facilitate its insertion when the closure tab is closed.

Side legs 24 and 25 are adjacent and articulated respectively to opposite edges located on either side of the rear panel 6, for example to the side panels 7 and 9 by fold lines 26 and 27. These side legs extend on the same side as the opening / closing panel 14 and have a substantially trapezoidal shape. The fold lines 26 and 27 form the large bases of the trapezoids. Near the fold lines 26 and 27, the lateral tabs 24 and 25 each include a recess, respectively 28 and 29. These recesses 28, 29 comprising a part of the sheet of flexible material and a part of the sheet of rigid material and thick are themselves rigid and thick. These rigid recesses project towards the front panel 5 when the blank 1 is set in volume. Their function will be described in relation to the description of case 2.

According to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the blank 1 comprises a second closure tab 22 hinged to the rear panel 6 by a fold line 23, on the edge opposite to the fold line 15 of the rear panel 6. Legs side 30 and 31 are provided on the sides opposite to the fold lines 26 and 27 of the side panels 7 and 9. Fold lines 32 and 33 separate the side tabs 30 and 31 from the side panels 7 and 9. These side tabs 30 and 31 also include protruding rigid recesses towards the front panel 5 when the blank 1 is set in volume. All the lines for folding the blank 1 are produced by cutting the sheet of rigid material only and tracing the lines on the sheet of flexible material. This type of cutting is called "half-flesh cutting", only one of the two leaves of the complex being cut.

We will now describe a process for producing a blank 1 as described above.

The first step of the process consists in producing the complex comprising a sheet of flexible and thin material, such as cardboard or plastic material, and a sheet of rigid and thick material, such as wood or metal or plastic.

The sheet of rigid material and the sheet of flexible material are combined by fixing the sheet of rigid material to one of the faces of the sheet of flexible material. This fixing is for example ensured by laminating the sheet of rigid material on the sheet of flexible material.

The complex is then cut so as to form the side panels, the closure tab or tabs, the bonding tab and the side tabs.

The sheet of rigid material is cut along the fold lines and the fold lines are drawn on the sheet of flexible material. This gives the blank 1 the flexibility necessary for its folding and its volume around the fold lines.

It is also possible to cut out 19 by cutting the sheet of rigid material during this step.

The material 18 is then removed by complete cutting of the complex. Referring to FIG. 2, there is now described the case 2 produced by folding a complex as described above, said complex having been produced and cut according to the method described above in order to form a blank 1.

The case 2 is therefore produced by placing the blank 1 in volume, which is folded along the fold lines. It will be noted that the bonding tab 12 makes it possible to secure the front panel 5 to the side panel 7 so as to maintain the volume formed by the folding of the blank 1.

The blank 1 is folded so that the sheet of flexible material forms the internal face 3 of the case and the sheet of rigid material forms the external face 4.

The setting in volume of a blank 1 such as that shown in FIG. 1 forms a case of substantially parallelepipedal shape comprising a body 36 formed by the side panels 5, 6, 7 and 9, two openings, one of which 34 is visible on Figure 2, defined by the edges of the side panels 5, 6, 7 and 9. According to a particular embodiment, the body of the case may include an opening made by cutting the complex.

The lateral legs 25 and 24 are folded at right angles to the side panels 7 and 9, so that they partially cover the opening 34. The rigid recesses 28 and 29 of these legs then protrude towards the front panel 5 and are located near fold lines 26 and 27.

The closing tab is folded over the opening 34, so that the opening / closing panel covers this opening when it is desired to close the case 2. For this purpose, the dimensions of the opening panel / closure are adapted to correspond to those of opening 34. In order to block the closing tab in the closed position of the case, the re-entering tab 16 is folded at right angles to the opening / closing panel 14.

The tab 16 is inserted between the front panel 5 and the side tabs 24 and 25. This insertion is facilitated by the rounded edges 21 of the re-entrant tab 16. The insertion of the re-entrant tab 16 has the effect of making the rigid recesses 28 and 29 penetrate into the material removals 18. The rigidity and thickness of the sheet of rigid and thick material gives the recesses 28, 29 and the edges material cuts 18 of sufficient rigidity and thickness to allow a snap of the rigid recesses 28, 29 in the material cuts 18, so that the closed position of the case is firmly maintained and cannot be undone only by manual manipulation of the closing tab.

To improve the snap-fastening, the recesses 28, 29 may have a generally trapezoidal shape, the small base being produced on the edge near the front panel 5, and a dimension parallel to the fold lines 27, 26 allowing their insertion in the abutments of material 18 without overshoot.

According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the second opening is similarly closed by the second closing tab 22.

The cutouts 19 protrude substantially perpendicular to the opening / closing panel 14 when the re-entrant tab 16 is folded at right angles to this panel 14, so that the fold line 17 is stiffened near the material removals 18 so to prevent any tearing of this fold line 17 which is subjected to stresses when the case 2 is opened or closed.

Claims

1. Case made by folding a complex, said complex comprising a sheet of flexible and thin material such as cardboard or plastic material on which is associated a sheet of rigid and thick material such as wood or metal, said case comprising: - a body (36) comprising side panels (5, 6, 7, 9) including at least one front panel (5) and a rear panel (6), - at least one first opening (34) defined by said side panels , some of the edges of said opening each carrying a side tab (24, 25) folded at right angles to a side panel of the case along a fold line (26, 27), said side tabs comprising a rigid recess ( 28, 29) near said fold line and projecting towards the front panel (5) of the case (2), said case being characterized in that it further comprises at least one tab for closing the opening at one end of the body (36), said closure tab comprising an opening / closing panel (14) articulated to the rear panel (6) along a fold line (15), said opening / closing panel comprising, at its end opposite to the fold line (15 ), a re-entrant tab (16) foldable at right angles to said opening / closing panel along a fold line (17) substantially parallel to the fold line (15), the fold line (17) comprising in its end portions a material cutout (18) through each of the sheets of the complex, the rigid recesses (28, 29) of the side panels being inserted in the material cutouts (18) when the closure tab is folded over the opening (34) so, due to the rigidity and the thickness of the sheet of rigid and thick material, to obtain a snap-fastening of the rigid recesses in the material removals to block said closing tab in the closed position of the case ( 2).

2. Case according to claim 1, characterized in that the fold lines of the case (2) are produced by cutting the sheet of rigid material from the complex.

3. Case according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the fold line (17) comprises, near the material removals (18), a cut (19) made in the sheet of rigid material, said cut being substantially perpendicular to the fold line (17) and extending partially on the opening / closing panel (14) and on the re-entrant tab (16), said cutout being arranged so that the rigid material protrudes substantially perpendicular to the panel opening / closing (14) when the re-entrant tab (16) is folded at right angles to said panel, so as to stiffen the fold line (17) near the material removals (18).

Case according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the side tabs (24, 25) have a trapezoidal shape, the fold line (26, 27) between said tabs and the side panels (7, 9) forming the large base of the trapezoid.

Case according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the re-entrant tab (16) of the closure tab has rounded edges (21).

6. Case according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a second opening opposite the first opening (34) relative to the body (36) of the case (2), said second opening being closed by a second closing tab (22).

7. Case according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the sheet of rigid material of the complex is located on the side of the outer face (4) of the case (2), the sheet of flexible material forming the inner face (3) of said case.

8. Case according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the body of the case comprises an opening made by cutting the complex.

9. Blank, intended for the production of a case (2) according to one of claims 1 to 8, this blank (1) being produced in a complex comprising a sheet of flexible and thin material such as cardboard or plastic material on which is associated a sheet of rigid and thick material such as wood or metal, said blank comprising: - side panels (5, 6, 7, 9), including at least one front panel (5) and one rear panel ( 6), separated by fold lines and defining by folding the body (36) of the case, - side tabs (24, 25) adjacent to some of the side panels (7, 9) and articulated thereto by fold lines (26, 27), - a bonding tab (12) adjacent to the front panel (5) and articulated thereto by a fold line (13) substantially parallel to the fold lines separating the side panels, said blank being characterized in that it further comprises an opening / closing panel (14) adjacent to the panel rear (6) and articulated to said rear panel by a fold line (15), said opening / closing panel having at its end opposite the fold line (15) a re-entrant tab (16), said tab being articulated at opening / closing panel (14) by a fold line (17) substantially parallel to the fold line (15), the fold line (17) comprising in its end portions a removal of material (18), the lines folding being carried out by cutting the sheet of rigid material of the complex.

10. Blank according to claim 9, characterized in that the side tabs (24, 25) each have a rigid recess (28, 29) near the fold line (26, 27) separating said tabs from the side panels (7 , 9), said rigid recesses projecting towards the front panel (5).

11. A blank according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the fold line (17) comprises, near the material removals (18), a cut (19) made in the sheet of rigid material, said cut being substantially perpendicular to the fold line (17) and extending partially on the opening / closing panel (14) and on the re-entrant tab (16), said cutout being arranged so that the rigid material protrudes substantially perpendicular to the panel opening / closing (14) when the re-entrant tab (16) is folded at right angles to the opening / closing panel (14).

12. Blank according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the side tabs (24, 25) have a trapezoidal shape, the fold line (26, 27) between said tabs and the side panels forming the large base of the trapezoid.

13. A blank according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the re-entrant tab (16) of the closure tab has rounded edges (21).

14. Blank according to any one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that it comprises a second closing tab (22), said closing tab comprising an opening / closing panel and a re-entrant tab, said second panel opening / closing being adjacent to the rear panel (6) and being articulated on the edge opposite the fold line (15) by a fold line (23).

15. Blank according to any one of claims 9 to 14, characterized in that at least one side panel (5, 6, 7, 9) comprises an opening made by cutting the complex.

16. A method of producing a blank according to any one of claims 9 to 15, said method comprising the following steps: - Production of a complex by combining a sheet of flexible and thin material such as cardboard or plastic material and a sheet of rigid and thick material such as wood or metal; - cutting the complex so as to form the side panels (5, 6, 7, 9), the closing tab, the bonding tab (12) and the side tabs (24, 25); - production of fold lines by cutting the sheet of rigid material only; - Making a cut (19) of the sheet of rigid material near the material removals (18), said cut extending partially on the opening / closing panel (14) and on the re-entrant tab (16) ; - removal of material (18) by complete cutting of the complex.

17. The method of claim 16, characterized in that the step of producing the complex is carried out by laminating the sheet of rigid material on one side of the sheet of flexible material.